Addiction
by Haha bye
Summary: Summary: Percy Jackson made a choice that changed everything. It broke him, without him knowing, or really caring. Nico has to fix him. And his addictions, which morphs into one more dangerous than drugs. Percy/Nico Rated M for later (Up for adoption.)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: First story on here. Ever. I'm nervous and excited and… yeah. Constructive criticism please? Tell me what's wrong and help me. Thanks. :D Oh, yeah *rubs forehead twice* If you're a part of that, comment. :D I can't tell you what that means if you don't know.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: Percy Jackson made a choice that changed everything. It broke him, without him knowing, or really caring. Nico has to fix him. And his addictions, which morphs into one more dangerous than drugs. Percy/Nico Rated M for later**

Addiction

Chapter 1: Mark of the Beast

"_Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" Revelation 13:4_

"_And the power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Revelation 13:15_

It was a fine late September day in New York, the hands of fall not yet grasping the city, but sending light touches as the essence of summer ebbed away. It could have-and would have- been an unmentionable, forgettable day for a certain demigod. And the operative phrase here is could have.

Because people make choices.

Decisions.

And Perseus Jackson was going to make one that would alter his life.

Forever.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Percy woke up with red, blinking numbers staring him blankly in the face, as he stared back with probably the same expression, except a little more aggravated. 5:30. He crawled out of bed, turning off the blaring alarm clock. He stretched and yawned, blinking away the sleep from his eyes, probably sounding like a baby dinosaur. The one thing he hated about working as a teacher is the hours.

Well, he wasn't technically a teacher, he was the head swim coach at Goode, but if you mentioned that he would huff and indignantly tell you he taught a subject and was as good as one. He had went to college, got all the requirements, but the principal was first still reluctant to hire him. As a 24-year old, he didn't have that much experience. But then he saw how he worked with the kids, and how he _swam,_ and it wasn't bad that Paul put in his good word with past teachers too. He just had to have him.

And that was probably the best choice he made. On his _first year_, he led the team not only to county, but to state as well. They had finished first, and they were aiming for the same this year. This whole week (the fourth in the school year), he had held try-outs. The team this year was, to say the least, monstrous. They would probably dominate this year. In fact, he was telling the names of the people on the team today on the announcements, and putting the list up on his door. At that mental reminder, he suddenly got energized to go on with his morning.

In the shower, he was thinking how great his and his friends' lives were going. He had a great job he loved, and it the money was great. Annabeth worked at the head architect firm in New York. Their relationship was going…well, but something just wasn't sitting right with it. He mentally shook the thought out of his head as he thought about Grover. Replacing the Wild god Pan was full time job, and he was enjoying every minute of it. He and Juniper were probably blessed by Aphrodite or something, because they would be welded together if Juniper weren't a tree. He didn't see much of Nico di Angelo, but he knew he went to a college in North Carolina, Duke or UNC or something. He knew if he actually went there and said 'Duke or UNC or something' though, he would get pummeled, Curse of Achilles forgotten.

As he got out of the shower, going to his closet-he willed himself to dry off, comes in handy- he thought he should visit Nico. He would figure out if he went UNC or Duke, and make fun of him with the rival team, maybe over an Iris message so he won't get tackled, or, you know, an army of skeleton soldiers won't rise up and kill him.

His life was great, his friend's and family's lives were great, and, as he got into his car, he thought, things couldn't go sour.

He didn't know how completely and utterly incorrect he was.

0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As he walked to his car from the pizza place, assistant coach Draper came out. You see, he and the team had gone out to a favorite pizzeria of his to celebrate the team. All the students had left, and he was at his car door. Dylan Draper was 25, just like Percy, had chocolate brown hair and eyes to match. He and Percy were rather good friends. "Hey, Perce," Dylan said to flag Percy down before he stepped in his car. "What's up, Dill?" Percy said, as he paused from stepping in. "You wanna hang out at my house with some friends tonight?" Dylan asked a twinkle in his eye that reminded Percy of the Stoll brothers. Seeing that twinkle probably meant something mischievous was going on, but he shrugged it off. "Sure, why not," Percy said. He stopped himself before he said_ I was going to clean up my house anyway,_ because he didn't want to seem like Dylan was his last choice. Dylan grinned from ear to ear as he said, "Great, you can follow me."

When they got there, his friends were already inside; apparently one of them trusted enough to have a key." Tom had it once, but he came in here and totally trashed my house while I was asleep, so I had to give it to Aaron," Dylan explained, he, Tom, and Aaron grinning from ear to ear. There was Tom(a redhead with matching freckles), Aaron(sandy blond hair and dark brown eyes), Will(dark brown hair and green eyes), John(jet black hair like Percy's and blue eyes), and Marc(sandy blond and green). It was a pretty cool night, video games (to Percy's ADHD delight), alcohol (beer, liquor, tequila, etc.), and snacks. They were all just, well, chilling, and then Will announced with a mischievous grin, "Hey, I got some crank, wanna snort?" "Fuck bro, you've been holdin' back!" Aaron said, as everyone chattered in agreement, except for Percy. What the fuck was crank? "Hey, you didn't get that shit you got last time? Bad trip, man." Percy stared blankly at all of them, completely uncomprehending. "Nah, new, trusted dude. Expensive, but cool." As Will went to his car to get whatever crank was Percy attacked, as he hated not knowing. "What's crank?" he asked them blankly. All their eyes widened, and then an awkward silence. Marc replied first. "You really don't know what crank is?" he said as Will walked backed in." Glass. Crystal. Tweak. Tina. Snap crackle, pop." Percy shook his head slowly, cautiously, like he was talking to child. "No," he simply replied. After yet another pregnant pause, John said,"It's meth, dude. Meth. M-E-T-H. Meth." A wave a realization shot over his face. "Oh," was really all he had to say.

Another uncomfortable pause.

"Are you gonna take a hit?" Dylan said. Percy couldn't believe that. The assistant coach of the swim team was asking him to snort meth. Which, I don't know if you know, is _illegal_.

"What, no! Do you know what that shit does to your body?" Percy exclaimed.

Tom snorted, "Fuck that shit, this shit is _amazing." _Others murmured in agreement.

"Here, let all of us take a hit and you can decide whether you want to or not," Dylan said. Percy nodded, looking unbelievably at all of them. He can't really do this, right? That shit is terrible, and if any of his friends or family knew, he would never hear the end of it. He watched as they all went down the line, snorting through straws and looks of ecstasy on their faces. They looked as if euphoria was completely encasing them. Then, is finally come to him. "Dude, I'm so fucked up bruh," Tom laughed, on cloud nine. "Bruh, just fuckin' take the hit!" Marc exclaimed, in his own experience at the moment.

And then, Percy thought.

Perseus Jackson was not one to give into peer pressure, if he said no, he meant it. But, that's just the thing: he didn't know if he meant it. He knew what shit like that did to you, and he would do time for it if he got caught. But the _looks_ on their faces, they were just so, _pleasurable. _He wanted to experience that. He wishes he could've experienced that when he had a whole bunch of shit in his life.

So, Perseus made a choice.

A desicision.

That would change his life.

Forever.

_Just one hit, right?_ He thought, as he leaned down, took the straw, over the yellowish-whit substance, and readied it.

_Just one,_ his brain answered back.

And he inhaled.

0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Now, we all have heard of the mark of the beast. 666. But, sometimes, it takes different forms. It's when the demons,-your demons- brand you. Now, the mark of the beast isn't just one brash action. It has reason behind it. The Seven Deadly Sins. What other people have done to us. What we do to _ourselves_. One brash decision is actually apart of the effect, not the cause. You don't have to be religious to take on the mark of the beast. It's hard to face the mark of the beast. It's harder to control it. It's nearly impossible to separate yourself from it. You can _never_ take it off. Because when it has you, it's in the interior. It will always be with you, matter what.

Percy was addicted.

He knew that.

And he couldn't give a shit.

Because the mark had taken over.

A mark worst than any scar.

The Mark of the Beast.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Just to let you know, I am a very impatient person when it comes to a project I'm interested in. I only have 3 reviews, 1 favorite and 2 alerts, but all of it was positive, so I continue on. Now, I decide I'm gonna tell you a bit about this story. One, Nico won't come in until about chapter 5 or 6. He is just a main character as Percy (maybe even bigger? I don't know yet, tell me what you think), but Percy needs to get dealt with first, I have a lot of things that need to happen. Second, I'm going to tell you something: I have an issue with other Percy/Nico stories. Percy is always the dominant one, and Nico always puts his dominance down, he always puts his guard down easy. He is always the "bottom" of the relationship. Not to diss anyone else's work, but that's usually because the author just takes what I call "the easy way out", and decides not to work to describe that part. Now, Percy or Nico may be the dominant one (to me their power matches after their teen years), but believe me, they are going to fight for it. Tell me who you wish to be dominant, and I could just see what the popular vote is. Sorry for this terribly long note, on with it now!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Addiction

Chapter 2:Lethal Injection

Good. Great. Epic. Amazing. These words are only tremors; only teases of what Percy felt .The euphoria, the ecstasy, the pleasure that sent shivers down his body was overwhelming. He forgot everything at these moments, the hesitance of taking something potentially lethal, the assistant coach and his friends (who he did this with most), hell, even _himself_. All he focused on was the wave of emotions going through him, his mind surfing, manipulating it to hold the high that he knew he was automatically addicted to. Because he knew he was addicted.

And he honestly couldn't give a shit.

All he cared about was this, this substance, this enchanted, chemical snow from the gods themselves, and the sea of feelings, the emotions that he now bathed, even drowned in.

Now there is supposed to be the initial burning feeling in the nasal passages, the stinging feeling of the fragile human body adjusting to the potent mixture of chemicals called methamphetamine. But, considering that Percy was not only a half-blood, but the half-blood of one of the Big Three, that acidic feeling was gone. Now, that feeling is a warning, from whom, no one knows. It's a warning that this was going to envelope you; take you down the wrong twist of road. Some people take that warning, and stop. It's the last stretch of hope. Some people still continue on, letting the drug grasp you. If Percy were less than what he was, he might've been able to stop. He could've taking the warning, the last sliver of light before the darkness surrounds you. No could know if he would've grasped that light. But that was it.

No more light.

And he honestly couldn't give a shit.

He got his own- and sometimes Dylan and his friend's-hit from Will's man. They would meet at the darkest, most sinful places around to exchange. The man would not tell Percy his name. The exchanges were almost wordless. Percy knew he could get caught, he could get pulled over, he could have a surprise drug test, he and his man could get caught during an exchange. It was a rush of adrenaline. He knew the risks. He_ knew._

And he honestly couldn't give a shit.

Then, he started craving more. It took him way more to get high than a beginner should. Because of who he was, in two months, his tolerance level was at someone who had snorted for around a year. Now, he was past the level of Dylan and his friends, who had been snorting for about one and a half years. When Percy snorted with them, they laughed worriedly at how much he was taking in before their own highs kicked in. Then they were in their own universe. He knew he was probably inhaling too much.

And he honestly couldn't give a shit.

But eventually the high had to end. Now, because of who he is, the zombie binges were not included. But he went on worst binges.

Emotion binges.

Percy _hated_ the feelings of being sober. Because that meant he would have to deal with life, which was too realistic and cynical, He would be snappy. He wouldn't answer calls, however important the caller may be. He would be bitchy. He would take all his frustrations out on innocent swimmers by punishing them with completely unnecessary exercises. He would become depressed, taking in all of the darkness of the world except the one that was closest to him that he was completely oblivious to. And then he would become _pissed_. Pissed at the world. Pissed at all the people who died in association with him. Pissed that the uneasiness of his and Annabeth's relationship was yet to be explained. Pissed at the principal who was talking to him about his new unruly behavior. Pissed that he didn't have drugs in his system. But the breaking point was when he punched a hole in his bedroom wall, plaster scattered across the carpet. He knew this was getting out of control.

And he honestly couldn't give a shit.

When he was high, the universe was in the palm of his hand. His demon, called many names, but we'll call him The Beast, was carefully pulling the strings of his host. The beast whispered into Percy's ear, convincingly, seductively, that the world belonged to Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon. He was at the epitome of ruling everything that ever existed, that all he had to do was hand over his mind, his soul, his_ being._ And Percy gave it over. To this drug. To this lethal injection (emotionally and physically). To The Beast.

Percy thought he ruled the world, while The Beast ruled Percy's.

Percy knew subconsciously that he a given it over. That he had sold his mind, his soul, his_ being._

Somewhere in his mind, that was not yet opened, he knew was playing a seductive game with a darkness that he didn't he didn't completely comprehend.

An unknown darkness.

And at that moment, he honestly couldn't give a shit.

**A/N: Short, I know. Constructive criticism please? Pretty please? Just a review? Which chapter was better?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Guess who's back…. Back again…. A.C.'s back... tell a friend :D**

**Now, I have spent the time to do numerous selfish things and not thinking about this story. Spend time with family. Watch TV. See Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2 with friends (which was SO EPICALLY AWESOME and I can't believe it's over). Shop. Eat numerous very good pasta dishes. Think. Read Hunger Games and other fan fictions.**

**I know. I'm selfish. You should kill me.**

**I have become obsessed with the Hunger Games series. I got Catching Fire two Saturdays ago and devoured it in less than 24 hours, not consecutively. I stayed up really, really late, though, for 13 hours straight, to get through a lot of it. I am really ready to get Mockingjay soon. The books are EPIC, and now are in first place with my favorite series, PJO and Harry Potter sharing it. **

**I would like to personally thank to Logan for his CC. While I am very thankful for all my other reviews, his showed all of thing I really looked over and/or would have hindered me. I personally love anyone who helps me enhance my writing, and since writing fan fiction thing is very new to me, it's nice to have help. I've always been a writer, not an author. To me, there is a difference. **

_**IMPORTANT NOTICE**_**: When his rationality and The Beast are pointing out reasons why and why not he should not get high, this is like the Angel-and-Devil-on-shoulders portrayal of it. Though, the rationality is not necessarily good and angelic. Rationality is rationality. You'll get it soon enough.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

` Addiction

Chapter 3: Stone and Glass

To say Percy was determined would be an understatement.

When he wanted to figure out something, his mindset would quickly change to _need_ to figure out something. He was infamous for get getting frustrated and royally pissed off if he didn't get the knowledge he needed. It made him brash and rather irrational. He would put his frustrations out on other people, but usually feel guilty about it later, if the rational part of his brain wasn't completely drowned out by his need to move on or discover something. Now, people would justify his actions by saying 'he was being loyal to the people he cared about' and 'it was his hero complex' and ' he just wanted to help' and 'it was for the greater good'. But, in some cases, he would be rather selfish for his needs. If he needed something, he would figure it out and sometimes selfish won over selfless.

This is why tonight he planned on breaking up with Annabeth.

He had decided to see what the uneasiness was in the relationship by breaking up with her and seeing her reactions. He wouldn't know how he would feel; it hadn't quite hit him yet. He decided, while at hi office in school, to just add-lib it and go with the flow. He knew he loved her, but his mind really wasn't being controlled by the unselfish love of Annabeth Chase. C'mon, you know who it's being ruled by, even though Percy was being the oblivious dumbshit we all know and (very little, at the moment) love doesn't, that unknowingness being enhanced by a certain Bea-

His phone rang the familiar texting ringtone of a certain blonde daughter of Athena.

Now, the hero of Olympus was not one to play with other people's emotions. If he ever was selfish, he would still have enough of his 'hero complex', his loyalty, his hatred and fear of seeing other people hurt, be it physically or emotionally, to consider other people and their feelings. But, of course, The Beast ran things now. The Beast had kicked the hero complex's ass out, had decapitated loyalty, and had disemboweled any other feeling of selflessness or the hatred and fear caused by it.

And so what if it was Valentine's Day?

The Beast had convinced Percy that he deserved to be selfish and not consider anyone else, and if he was to be portrayed as a douchebag or asshole or cunt or any of the sort, then so be it. In fact, _they're_ the ones who are selfish. Look at all the shit he's been through for other people! In Percy's mind, which was quietly being ruled by said Beast, he rules this world. He _owns_ this shit.

Percy picked up his phone from inside his desk drawer and sighed. Considering all monsters in the area of the continental United States knew that he was pretty much indestructible, and if someone hadn't found his mortal point for the almost ten years he had it and it was pretty useless to attack him, it was safe. Plus, Percy had become an even better sword fighter-and that's saying something- and he pretty much kicked ass with Anaklusmos. He had had a nice phone, a Droid, but he needed meth money, and shit happens. So he got a nice little prepaid flip phone. So what if it was a little outdated, even for a flip phone? It was cheap, and it worked, so it was good by him.

_Can't wait for tonight, _the text message read.

He snorted and texted back, _me neither,_ as he knew they both had two completely different meanings. He put the phone back in his desk drawer and started towards the school pool.

Percy Jackson got shit done, when he wanted it to be. The Beast just enhanced that, and used slightly darker, taboo, and unsavory ways to get it done.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As time dwindled down to half an hour until he was supposed to head out, Percy contemplated taking a hit.

Percy has dressed in a white polo, jeans, and Sperry's. He made sure he didn't wear things that Annabeth particularly liked, such as his sea-green cotton button-down ("Matches your eyes without all the seriousness of a regular button-down," she said), or wear things she didn't like so much, such as a pair of rather torn and slashed jeans with patches and amateur stitching-his favorite pair-from a nasty dracaena fight and breaking up an Aphrodite cabin cat fight on the same day. It was probably one of the worst and one of the best days in his life, although a lot of guys grumbled at him the following days, seeing as undergarments were being torn apart and betting pools had been made when he stepped in.

His outfit told nothing; not a story, no emotion, and his face and body language would follow suit.

He was debating with himself to snort a line or not. He had only taken a few in the morning, just to get him through the school day. When he first questioned whether or not he should snort, Beast had automatically put his input in, and you know what that was. But, Beast had put his input in at one of the worst times: when Percy wasn't high. Even when he wasn't high, there were very few moments were he could think even remotely rational. But, this was one of those rare times. Unfortunately, he was not rational enough to see how completely terrible and heartless and asshole-ish his plan was. But hey, he was a little rational, right? Beggars can't be choosers, and I know you're on your knees right now to let some realistic rationality back into a certain son of Poseidon, and deliver a punch or kick or two for how much of a dumbass he's being.

But then again, you've probably never had The Mark of the Beast.

As he was sitting on his bed, staring at a hole in the wall he hadn't bothered to fix, he contemplated. If he wasn't high, he could show emotions and actually remember them. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. On one hand, the plan would be a half-failure because he had to see how _he_ reacted. Although some part of him cared about Annabeth, if he felt no feeling of wanting her back, or he felt indifference of them breaking up, it would be game over for them. Annabeth's feeling would be disregarded and dismissed. And so what if Athena haunted him for the rest of his mortal life, and, with a little Hades bribery, when he's dead also? It only mattered about him. It only mattered about now. But then again, if this turned the wrong way, he could possibly betray himself and show the wrong emotions that could make the break-up ragged and make it hurt more. If he was high, it wouldn't hurt him if he betrayed himself. The Beast would make sure of that. Highs can't be ruined by stupid emotions such as _remorse _and _love_, now can they? But, then again, the rational part of his mind that had finally ripped the figurative duct tape off its mouth that a certain Beast had put on it pointed out, if she saw his high, bad things could ensue. She could let it slip to the wrong people, such as the police, or his friends, or the gods or Chiron. Her justification would be, "It's for the greater good", and, "I just want to help you."

Sounds like someone else, don't you think?

Her train of thought would be _it's just the drugs talking. He still loves me._ And, while, yes, while the drugs did do a little more than talking(The Beast, of course, shut away that particular thought), part of him knew that if this didn't work out, it didn't work out.

For the next five minutes, Rationality and The Beast went on finding sub-arguments in the arguments already pointed out. Now, as you might have observed, Rationality hasn't pointed out how much of a dumbshit he's being for letting drugs taking over his mind and planting venom in his soul. Remember this: rationality doesn't always mean being good. As Annabeth Chase believes, being clever isn't being wise. Rationality was being very, very clever in his arguments, but was it being very wise? Absolutely not. Remember, even though The Beast and Rationality were debating in Percy's head, they were all for the same motive: Drugs. The Beast had taken over, but he had to give _some_ part of Percy's mind the illusion of power. The difference is Rationality thought about later. The Beast _did_ now.

Percy had finally decided not to go high, even though the short-term effects of withdrawal had started to kick in. He started to become irritated at the seemingly deafening silence in the house. But when he put in his iPod for a while, no song seemed to satisfy him. In a fit of frustration, he jerked the earphones out and threw the iPod against the wall. Amazingly, it didn't break from the impact of the throw, although an unsightly crack was now on the wall. He began pacing impatiently. _Why is time so fucking slow? _ After a lot of pacing, throwing various objects and a lot of obscene words later, it was time to go.

_Time to go break a girl's heart,_ a part of Percy quietly said that The Beast hadn't covered up until too late.

This part of Percy would later be important. It's the only part of Percy that was completely tainted by darkness.

As he got into his car, this part of Percy said, _Are you doing the right thing?_

The Beast-controlled part of Percy snapped back, _of course._

That apparently wasn't enough, though, because those words echoed in Percy's head all night.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

As Percy shifted in his chair, he wished he would've snorted.

He was now sitting in a very great pizzeria. One of those with "gourmet pizza". He had rolled his eyes seeing the place at first. Pizza was great, without putting fancy titles in front of it.

When he snorted, he didn't give a shit about anything, so his nerves wouldn't be frazzled like this. If he would've snorted, he could've ignored the question echoing in his head. If he would've snorted, he wouldn't be irritated that Annabeth was a couple minutes late.

If he would've snorted, this would be easier.

He started to grit his teeth and was about to just say "fuck it" and leave, but then _she_ walked in.

And he was going to mutilate himself for not getting high.

To say she was stunning would be an understatement. She wasn't even dressed that fancy, in a pair of skinny jeans with glittery white Toms and an off-the-shoulder white kangaroo pouch shirt. But- oh my gods. The jeans hugged her slim but curvy figure and highlighted it. The white somehow brought out her hypnotizing stormy grey eyes. Her golden blonde hair cascaded down in ringlets. Her flowing shirt-her eyes-her jeans-her hair- hell, even her _shoes-_ She looked like a goddess.

"Hi," she said, sitting down across from him, getting settled. When she finally looked up to find why he was responding, she saw his gaze and his slightly agape mouth.

"Earth to Seaweed Brain," she smirked, and he knew this was going to be hell.

"Oh. Hey," he finally said, making himself sound like a dumbass. He mentally smacked himself. What is he, in third grade? He made a fool of himself when he saw a pretty girl?

She laughed, and his heart broke all of a sudden. He couldn't go through with this. He's going to break Annabeth's heart. And for what? To find out something that even isn't that big of a deal? The relationship was fine, save for the uneasiness that he was about to break this girl's heart for and the time apart, being that are both busy.

Like he predicted, the night was hell. Percy was being uneasy and awkward, and Annabeth, even being a smart as she is, didn't see it. She was having a great time and Percy wish she wouldn't, wished she was just as uneasy and awkward as him, so this wouldn't be so hard. They ate and talked and laughed, Percy only doing it to make this their best last night together. His plan to remain stoic and emotionless went out the door. He was going to crumble to pieces for what he was about to do. He was about to break up with Annabeth, a beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, amazing, wonderful girl, for his own selfish reasons. And sure, she had a lot of faults, but those made her better.

Finally, the time came. He was going to hurt himself for what he was going to do.

"Hey, Annabeth," he said, looking anywhere but in her direction.

She must've seen this, because next she said, "What's wrong Percy?" Her voice sounded concerned, and he was going to commit suicide soon.

He ruffled his hair, playing with the gray streak he had gotten so many years ago from holding up the sky. He slowly looked up from the table and said," I think we should-" and then he gasped.

He was looking at Annabeth, with the concerned, worried look one her face.

And then he looked at her blonde hair.

Her _completely_ blonde hair.

"What happened to your hair?" he automatically blurted out.

Confusion graced her face, and she automatically started to touch and stroke her hair. "What do you mean? I curled it today. I thought you liked-"

"No, I mean the grey streak." Percy was becoming angry now. What had happened?

"Oh," Annabeth said. "That grew out about a year ago." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

Now Percy was fuming now. How _dare _she? "You didn't think of keeping the last bit or telling me?" He all but shouted.

Now Annabeth looked alarmed. "It was just hair-"

"It was _just hair_ to you?" Percy exclaimed. Now people were looking, but he didn't give a shit. He was furious. "Like I _just _saved your life on Mount Othrys? Like we both _just _literally held the world? That meant something, Annabeth!" He struck the table with the palm of his hand. "That was all that we shared! All the burdens we had together, all the great and bad times that we had! We held the world up for each other! That meant something! Even when we were apart, that was my reminder of you!"

Annabeth now looked hurt, and was on the verge of tears. She said nothing.

Percy stared unbelievingly at her. _What the fuck is wrong with her?_ Then, his face hardened. This was it, then. "Well, I was going to break up with you tonight, but it looks like you broke up with me about a year ago." He stood up, threw money on the table, and started to walk out. The whole restaurant was staring at them now, looking between Percy walking out and Annabeth looking at Percy.

"Percy, wait!"

Percy turned around, to see Annabeth still sitting down, but leaning towards him and the door, where his hand was currently on. She looked broken, and hopeless, and helpless, and-heartbroken. Tears had started to cascade down her face. She said nothing.

Percy's face had, until then, remained emotionless, but then he sneered, which he had done about 10 times in his life because it wasn't in his nature to sneer, showing the anger and hurt on his face. He said two words that were clean and cut, and you knew he meant them.

"It's over."

He abruptly walked out, knocking over anyone in his way. He sped home at a speed that probably wasn't legal. Before the lines could even be brought out, he punched the mirror in his bathroom. The glass broke and cascaded down like the way his heart did. He took the sharpest piece of glass that he could find. He wished for once he wasn't invincible so that the glass could leave a gash in his hand, so he could be distracted from the pain in his heart. He took the glass, and with his other hand picked up the grey hair from his head. He closed his eyes as he slashed through it.

It was the disconnection.

The final cut from Annabeth Chase.

He seethed for a few moments, before returning to his bedroom. He brought out the lines. He finally got to inhale, and then The Beast finally took over, dipping Percy in the euphoria and pleasure that he desperately needed.

Let's see now: his mind, his soul, and now his heart.

Yet another piece of Percy Jackson had broken.

At least the uneasiness of a relationship that was never really meant to be was figured out, right?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You're going to have to resign."

When these words came out of Principal Malkin's mouth, Percy's went agape.

Ever since that horrible Valentine's Day break-up on Monday, Percy's week hadn't gotten much better. He worked the kids harder than ever, making them do cruel unnecessary routines. All fun and lightheartedness was gone from Coach J, and they saw that. Of course, that was when he wasn't hammered as shit. They also saw that when he didn't make then do horrible exercises, he came in and let them do whatever they wanted. This worried them more than the harsh days, because Coach J was a very kind, but disciplined man. He made sure there was order so they swim team could be on their toes.

Today, a junior named Violet Smith, one of his best swimmers, had been on the verge of tears from Coach practically screaming at her. This wasn't the coach she secretly had a crush on. This wasn't the coach who she looked up to for advice. He was different. And she wished he would go back to his old self.

Well, you and the rest of the world, kid.

He was now sitting in Principal Malkin's office. Malkin was a slim, frail man with grey hair that surprisingly wasn't balding and blue eyes. Malkin ran his school with great pride; he wouldn't let anyone, even the best swim coach in the history of Goode High, ruin that. The complaints from the parents of the swimmers were piling up. Mr. Jackson was causing problems, and he couldn't have a functional school with a problem, now could he? Tim Malkin got shit done, and if firing Perseus Jackson got shit done, then it had to happen.

He explained this. "See, Perseus," Malkin continued, "I just can't fire you. If you tried to get a new job, that would look terrible on your resume. I care about you, Jackson."

Perseus only stuttered. "Why-h- how- what's-"

Principal Malkin leaned in, his intense blue eyes trained on Percy's sea green ones. "Percy," he said-which was unusual because he always said Perseus or Jackson-, "I really do care about you. I can tell you are going through things right now. This environment just isn't right for you. You can't just take it out on students. You need your own time alone. I'm going to have to let you go. Or you can resign, which would be better."

Then, Percy got mad. No, he got furious. It was one of those days in which he had run out of hits, and he wished he didn't. He was already on the edge, but this had taken him over. "How _dare_ you!" he exclaimed. "I'm the best swim coach that ever has been and ever will be! And you have the audacity to tell me I have to leave? This is bullshit!" He got up, intentionally knocking over the chair as he did so. "This is complete and utter bullshit!" Principal Malkin didn't even blink. This was expected from him.

"So, what is your choice, Mr. Jackson?" he asked in a neutral voice.

Percy blinked unbelievably at the small, frail man in front in him. How could he? How fucking could he? Was this really the end?

Yes, yes it was, he realized.

Then, his face hardened, and he replied, "I quit," in a cool tone, and he stepped out to collect his things from his office.

Principal Malkin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He really did hope Perseus Jackson got better.

Percy was angrily throwing things in the box he had found somewhere. He was ranting and raving in his mind. _How dare they fire me, how dare they, how fucking dare they—_Then assistant coach Draper stepped in.

"Hey Percy," he called out. "Haven't talked to you outside of here in a while." It was true; Percy had long since stopped hanging out with Dylan and his buddies. He did better solo.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your resignation." He didn't sound very sorry. "I hope you get better. Didn't know drugs would fuck you up that bad. But I have great news. I got your spot for head coach. I'm gonna make sure we make it-"

He was interrupted by a very solid punch to the jaw.

The impact made him fall down on his ass. Hard. He held his jaw-probably (definitely) broken- as he writhed on the ground. Percy stood above him, fuming, blood stained on his fist.

"Fuck you," he said, and he stormed out to his car, all possessions forgotten.

Did you enjoy that punch as much as me? The punch delivered to the guy who introduced Percy to methamphetamine, and therefore to The Beast? Unfortunately, Percy punched him for completely different reasons.

He got his phone out, dialed, and waited.

"Hello," the voice on the under end said.

"Meet me at The Orange Joint," Percy said. It was a code name that only he and some very mysterious man knew.

There was no confirmation or reply as the phone hung up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Percy walked into his house and automatically knew something was wrong. He set down his new load on the entry table, brought out and uncapped Riptide, and walked into his living room. He was met by three men.

"I'm home honey," he said sarcastically as he capped Riptide and glanced at the sunny blonde, the suntanned black-bearded, and the olive-skinned obsidian black-haired men in front of him.

"My son," Poseidon said, worry, disappointment, and sadness on his face. He looked like he wanted to say more, but that was all he could manage.

Percy glanced between his father, Apollo and Hades. "What's going on?"

"Beside the fact you looked fucked up? Nothing much, being amazing," Apollo shrugged.

Poseidon glared at him, and he wisely shut up.

"We are going to help you," Poseidon said, even though the others didn't look very helpful.

Poseidon noticed that and added, "Well, I kinda bribed them…"

"Meetin' this hot chick in Miami. On Miami Beach. Blonde bombshell. Big tits and ass," Apollo smirked.

Hades, who really hadn't made himself noticed, sighed and said, "I'm getting a hook-up in summer, when Persephone's gone. She doesn't even like me anyway. I found out she hooks up with random mortals in the oh-so sunny California in summer, too. You know, the complete opposite of my dark cold kingdom. Why she sluts herself up near one of my entrances, no one knows," he snorted.

"You both can get any woman you wanted. Why make a deal with Poseidon?" Percy asked casually.

"Uncle P here is the best hooker-upper ever," Apollo said. "Jessica Alba hotness and Kim Kardashian experience without Paris Hilton sluttiness. This guy's amazing," Apollo elbowed Poseidon, and was met by a Big Three-level glare so he looked off somewhere and started whistling innocently.

"I thought the gods were supposed to fuck out of my life now," Percy said as his eyebrow rose in confusion.

Poseidon sighed sorrowfully. "Percy, I've been watching you son. These drugs are ruining your life. You need hel-"

"Why are you guys still fucking with my life?" Percy snapped. He was mad, yet again. What's up with the audacity of people this week?

Poseidon looked hurt. "Son, I'm just trying to-"

"No!" Percy was now at his boiling point now. "Someone's going to fucking listen to me! This has by far been one of the worst weeks of my life by people having the _nerve_ of brushing me and what I feel aside. 'You need help, Percy' and 'This isn't right for you, Percy' and 'It's not that big of a deal, Percy'! Why can't I stay at fucking home and do my fucking shit!"

Poseidon let Percy finish ranting and let him seethe and simmer for a while, before saying, "You're not denying you need help."

Percy stared at them all unbelievingly, like he did for two other certain people this week. Is this what's going down? Then he answered himself, like he did two other times this week.

Yes, yes it is.

So, he gave up. He threw in the towel. He surrendered. Whatever. He doesn't give a shit anymore.

"So, how do you plan on fixing what you call "problem" in my life?" he said, surrender in his tone.

It was time for the gods to stare unbelievingly. They didn't know it was going to be this easy. Poseidon recovered first.

"You're moving to North Carolina," he blurted out, just like Percy would do. Like father, like son.

"Whatthefuck?" Percy's words blended together.

"That's where you are going to living with your roommate." Poseidon now picked his words carefully, so Percy didn't completely blow up.

"So, who's my roommate?" Percy asked, in caution, slowly.

"I'll give you a hint. He's my son and his first name is Nico and his last name is di Angelo."

Hades was a sarcastic motherfucker.

"And why for fuck's sake do I have to move in with him?" Percy all but exclaimed. He was doing a pretty poor job at keeping his cool.

"Well, let see," Apollo started, " You hate that chick Annabeth's guts-" Apollo didn't see the visual daggers that were sent his way by his uncle's son"- Grover's doing his 'Wild God Pan duties, Thalia's a fifteen year-old Hunter, Travis is getting married to Katie, Conner is being a bachelor and wouldn't give a shit about you, Clarisse is pregnant and Chris is wigging out, Jason and Piper are on their honeymoon, Leo, like Conner, is a bachelor and is living it up every day and night in South Beach, and you can't go through recovery at Camp Half-Blood." He had pointed off all the nine reason on his fingers.

All Percy could say was, "Fuck."

Apollo smirked triumphantly.

"Nico goes to Duke University, on my funding of course," Hades said. "He had his own apartment near campus, so no need to point your argument about dorms, because it's void." Hade smirked, as Percy had opened his mouth to point just that out.

"You're moving in tomorrow afternoon. Skeleton soldiers will be helping you, and you'll shadow travel with the aid of them," Poseidon said.

"Okay, okay. I understand," Percy said, exasperated. "I understand why dad and Hades are here, but Apollo; can I kindly ask why the fuck you're here?

"Oh, well," he said lackadaisically, "I have to null your Curse of Achilles."

"WHAT?" Percy screamed. "WHY THE FUCK DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT?"

Poseidon sighed. "You're going to have to get hurt so you can get it through that terribly thick skull that you inherited from me that you are putting yourself in danger. It pains me to see you like this, and believe this; your recovery is going to hurt me almost as much as it's going to hurt you." Percy flinched, because the way his dad said "almost".

"So, how are you gonna do this?" Percy sighed. He guessed it would painful in any way.

"It's easy," Apollo said. I" I knock you out, because immense pain is going to ensue, and I'm going to enlarge your mortal point, like a screen on an iPod with fingers, or in this case, your body with hands. So, take off your shirt. Where's your mortal point?"

He paused. He had never told anyone his mortal point, save Annabeth. He didn't know…

Apollo saw his hesitation and sighed. "Listen, I would use your mortal point against you. Uncle P here would make the eternity of my pure torture, which is a very, very long time. I have no grudges against you; I even think you're pretty cool. I'm not gonna hurt you."

That made Percy relax. Then he said, "The small of my back."

Apollo smirked and rubbed his hand together. "Let get this party started."

Percy threw off his shirt and sighed. He promised himself that he was putting up a wall for Nico. He decided that no emotions, no familiar friendliness that they had had before this. He needed that wall, because he would break if any type of feelings besides neutral occurred. Friendship, loyalty, brotherly, any type. Before unconsciousness could take him , he thought this:

He would become stone.

So that could hide the fragile glass that was the rest of his essence.

Then black ensued.

**Very nice chapter, I think. I guess it might be confusing. Do you think so? Reviews are very, very much appreciated.** **:D Oh, and I lied. Nico will be coming in next chapter. Yay! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, there.**

_**SELF PROMOTING (I'm shameless):**_** I did my first one-shot called **_**Experiment.**_** It's a Nico/Percy/Annabeth story. It's not a very happy story, but then again, it's a love triangle, do they ever end happy? It focuses on dialogue, since that's one of my weaknesses as a writer. It's kind of in poem form, since I'm naturally a poetic writer. **

**If you check it out, I'll give you a virtual cookie. Or, I'll you Jason Grace, Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan, Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton, Daniel Radcliffe, Apollo, Hermes, Peeta Mellark or Gale Hawthorne. Not Nico di Angelo or Trey Songz. They're both mine. If you want a girl, you can have Piper McLean, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Annabeth Chase, Silena Beauregard, Thalia Grace, Hermione Granger, Emma Watson, Luna Lovegood, Aphrodite, or Katniss Everdeen. Just leave a review on Experiment and have one (1) person. :D**

_**DID YOU KNOW**_**: R.R. said he sold movie rights before the book was even published to get book publicity up and going and he didn't even see the movie? So, I can't blame him for that disgrace we call a movie. I can't even get mad at him. But I can be completely pissed off at whoever made that movie and took a dump on my favorite book series besides Harry Potter and Hunger Games.**

_**HUNGER GAMES**_**: Speaking of Hunger Games; I finished Mockingjay. :D It was amazing. I got it Saturday. I, again, finished it in less than 20 hours, non-consecutively. There's a subliminal Harry Potter message in it though. On like page 6, it says "constant vigilance" in a sentence. :D **

_**IMPORTANT NOTICE: **_**One of Eminem's songs of his **_**Recovery**_** album will be featured. Maybe not a songfic chapter, maybe so. I don't know yet. But a song **_**will**_** be featured. There's a poll up, so go pick which one you want to be featured. Please listen to ALL songs before picking.**

_**Disclaimer:**_** I don't own or have rights to any of the mentioned people above or in the story, fictional or real, alive or deceased. I don't own or have rights to Duke University or University of North Carolina (UNC). I also don't own or have rights to Hunger Games series, Harry Potter series, or Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Heroes of Olympus series. Their rights go to their owners and authors, Suzanne Collins, J.K. Rowling, and Rick Riordan, respectively. I don't own House, M.D., either. That goes to their respective owners. I also don't own or have rights to **_**Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief **_**film. That also goes to their respective owners. I don't own or have rights to the album **_**Recovery**_**, any of its songs, or anything affiliated with it. That goes to Marshall Mathers II and respective owners. I own or have rights to NOTHING. **

Addiction

Chapter 4: Jailbait, UNC vs. Duke, and Other Conversations

Nico di Angelo is lying in his too-small bed in is small apartment, staring aimlessly at the darkness and shadows that engulf him at the moment. The only noises are the soft hum of an air conditioner and his quiet breathing. All he does is think.

_Jackson is moving in with me. _

_Jackson is moving in with me. _

_Jackson is moving in with me. _

_Perseus Jackson is moving in with me._

_The hero of Olympus is moving with me._

_The offspring of Sally Jackson-Blofis and Poseidon is moving in with me._

_The methamphetamine-addicted fellow child of a Big Three is moving in with me._

_This is going to be interesting._

_And by interesting, I mean hell._

At first, it was another quiet Friday night in his apartment. He glanced at his clock, looking up from his laptop screen, and saw the unblinking red numbers that announced it was 9:04. He sighed and stretched, sitting at his desk, trying not to face plant the black keyboard. He ate a fork-full of the spaghetti he had just cooked that would probably have to last him until Monday. He rubbed his eyes looking at his thesis for his class. It was drawing on and on and on, and then some, considering the problems with his damned ADHD and dyslexia. Why he took up college in the first place, no one knows.

Now, if you've been piecing this together, and you didn't happen to know Nico di Angelo, you probably would've blinked unbelievingly.

A college student.

At his apartment.

On a Friday night.

Actually doing a thesis.

With ADHD and dyslexia, on top of that.

Yeah, it would be hard for anyone to believe. But then again, you've never had the pleasure-or displeasure by some people's (Persephone's) opinions- of meeting Nico di Angelo.

Nico was a quiet man in college, a man of few words. He was 21 now, in his last year at Duke University. Because of the dyslexia and ADHD, he spent less time going to unnecessary parties and more time doing his work and studying. He was considered mysterious, and women lusted after him for just that reason. He had had more than his fair share of hook-ups, not usually at his apartment, which was only a couple of minutes away from campus. He really didn't care for other people's thoughts, but he wanted to keep the whole 'mysterious' thing going, as he found it amusing that people automatically put that label on him, when in fact he was just an introvert. He had passed out of his antisocial phase years ago. He believed in inner-sanctuary, and that's how he functioned best. He only took girls back to his apartment if they were quiet, not as quiet as him, but enough to keep 'mystery man' thing going. Plus, the quiet ones were always the best in bed, besides the wild ones, and the redheads. But, those myths could be busted, as he liked to prove. There was this one blonde, and he swore 'fellatio' was her middle name. And this other brunette, how she was that flexible, the world will never know. Then, there was this one time with a brunette and blonde_ together_-

"Boner alert."

Nico turned around, obsidian sword unsheathed from somewhere unnoticeable until it's needed, its blade already in a sun god's face.

Apollo had his hands raised up in mock surrender. There was a giant, blinding white, shit-eating grin on his face. "Hey, man, it isn't my fault you have a stiffie. What caused that, anyway? If it's for me, I'm flattered, but Uncle of Death over here would kill me, so I decline." He jabbed his golden-haired head to his right, where Hades was standing, his arms crossed.

Both father and son gave their best death glare, which was saying something, but Nico's was a little less convincing with his face red. His so-called "stiffie", that he hadn't even noticed, had gone down.

"I was thinking about a great fuck I had. Threesome. Speaking of which, when was your last? You know. After Will Solace, who now happens to be what? 27? 28?" Nico's reply was cool, a smirk on his face.

Hades tried, and failed, to keep a loud laugh in, the olive-skinned man's voice booming in the apartment, his onyx eyes, just like his son's showing how much he enjoyed Apollo's reaction. Poseidon's-who Nico had barely acknowledged-crow's feet around his sea green eyes crinkled as he gave a small grin. Apollo, on the other hand, looked murderous, his face as red as one of his sacred cows.

But, his face once again turned into a big shit-eating grin when he said, "Hmm, let's see: Megan Fox, Meagan Good, Jessica Alba, Lauren London, Emma Watson, Mila Kunis, Victoria Beckham, Miley Cyrus, Kate Middleton…"

"Okay, the last one is bullshit and you know it, and anyone can fuck the second to last one, if what I hear is correct. And Victoria Beckham is marriedto one of the most famous soccer players _ever_. She wouldn't risk going with you. Is Emma Watson even legal?" Nico, who at first had his mouth agape at Apollo's fuck-list, sobered up at Victoria's name, and now had his arms crossed, one eyebrow raised at Apollo.

"Okay, so the Kate and Victoria one might not be true," Apollo admitted, and Nico snorted, "But Miley Cyrus isn't that easy to get into!"

He saw the looks from the other three men in the room and said, "Okay, maybe she is, but Emma Watson's legal! Well, I didn't check, but I'm pretty sure she is!"

"I'm pretty sure that's jailbait, dude," Nico said, just wanting to scare Apollo, knowing full well Emma Watson is 21. The other gods grunted in agreement, playing along with Nico.

Apollo, who was now just stuttering and freaking out that he might've had sexual intercourse with a minor, just resigned with a "Fuck."

Nico now had a smug and triumphant grin on his face. He then said, "You know who I think is jailbait? Victoria Justice," There was a chorus of grunts of agreements from the gods.

"Yeah, but she turns 18 this week. February 19th. That's tomorrow, actually," Apollo said. Then his cerulean eyes twinkled, he grinned and announced, "I call dibs!" Hades groaned and Poseidon, weary as he looked, let out a sigh.

"Another fight between you and Hermes," Hades muttered.

"Dude, you and Hermes are like, millennia old. That would make you a semi-pedophile, no matter what form you take," Nico said, shaking his head.

There was a pause as Apollo thought about this.

"… Douche," Apollo pouted. "Just gotta ruin my fun, when you get to fuck any college girl you want." Apollo snorted, and then he said something that you shouldn't say in any place with other people than you in it in North Carolina. That is, if you don't want to end up in a very brutal fight and argument, and very possibly, a hospital. And it is _very, very_ advised not to say it at Nico's particular college.

"That's why UNC's better."

That's when the fight started.

Nico and Hades defended Duke's side, and Poseidon and Apollo played for UNC.

"What the fuck-"

"Leading team-"

"March Madness-"

"Lacrosse-"

"Sends more players to the-"

"Football players-"

"Dominates-"

"Tarheels? More like Shitheels-"

"Records broken-"

"NC State-"

"Duke is puke-"

"UNC is balls-"

"Duke sucks them-"

"Trophies-"

"It's ironic that the Dare Devils are pussies-"

"Have a definite win this year-"

"Your draft sucked-"

"Stripper-"

"Guilty-"

"Innocent-"

"CONSPIRACY-"

"Liar-"

"She was GUILTY-"

"She lied-"

"Our BBQ is better-"

"Bullshit-"

"Wake Forest-"

"Cheerwine-"

"Born in the South-"

"Raised in a glass my ass-"

"Regionals-"

"Copperheads-"

"Cottonmouths-"

"Charlotte-"

"Asheville-"

"Wet n' Wild-"

"Carowinds-"

"NFL-"

"NBA-"

"Summer camps-"

"Tailgating-"

"Bojangles-"

"Hillbillies-"

"No 7/11 stores-"

"Rednecks-"

"White trash-"

"Eminem-"

"IS AWESOME-"

"_Recovery_ was shit-"

"Fuck yourself-"

"Lil' Wayne-"

"Sucks HIPPOGRIFF BALLS-"

"Fuck you-"

"You can't tell me _How to Love _isn't a sell-out piece of shit-"

"Whatever-"

"Harry Potter-"

"Neville-"

"Badass-"

"Pussy-"

"Killed that bitch's snake-"

"Doesn't matter-"

"Hunger Games-"

"Katniss-"

"Badass-"

"WHORE-"

"Shut the fuck up-"

"Two-timing-"

"Peeta-"

"Bread-"

"Haymitch-"

"Dionysus-"

"Drunks-"

"Sports-"

It went on like this for at least an hour, which really isn't that long for the nature and subject of this fight. But, believe it was intense. They constantly interrupted each other, making arguments and discussing (stupidly yelling) about things that have absolutely nothing to do with UNC, Duke, or North Carolina and its colleges.

How they went from the Tarheels to the testicles of a hippogriff, the world will never know.

"-AND THAT'S IT."

Someone had finally ended the epic battle. They were now all sitting down on Nico's sofa, catching their breath from a war that repeats itself a minimum of 500,000 times annually in the state of North Carolina. For the male gods, it happens about 100 to 200 times a year.

"I need a beer," Nico announced. Grunts of agreement answered him. He got up, went to the fridge in his small kitchenette, and got some good ol' Bud.

As he passed the last of the gods' beer out to Apollo, he said, "So, I guess you didn't just come here to converse about girls and UNC vs. Duke. What's up?"

After taking a drawn out sip of beer, Hades answered, "Perseus Jackson is moving in with you."

If Hades had said that a second earlier, Nico would've sprayed his beer on the gods sitting across from him, and that wouldn't be a good look. For either of them. Because he would probably get disintegrated. Instead he just sat up in his ratty brown recliner. "What the fuck?"

Poseidon had now put back on his look of grief and sorrow. "My son is… under the influence. Of methamphetamine. He's…not well. He has to go into recovery soon, or he'll go completely insane."

Nico eyed the gods suspiciously. He sat his beer down on the coffee table between him and the gods, and said, "I thought you were supposed fuck with our lives anymore, after we're adults and shit."

Hades snorted. "If Athena can send Poseidon and Percy death threats, then that rule is void."

"Why is Athena sending death threats? Did he get Annabeth knocked up?" It was Nico's time to snort.

"No. He broke up with her," Apollo said.

Well, that was unexpected.

"It wasn't even his fault," Apollo continued. "She broke his heart. Some crazy hair-metaphor shit. She technically broke up with him first, though. Long story. But the crazy shit is, she's over it now, supposedly. Dating some stud from college. It's been _four days._"

"That's fucked up," was all Nico had to say.

"Completely." This came from a weary-looking Poseidon.

"Anyway, the boy lost his mind completely this week," Hades said. "Snorting more of that stuff than should be physically possible. Well, he's been doing _that_ for months, but he lost his job today, and the Annabeth dilemma happened Monday, on Valentine's Day. He's gone crazy, metamorphosed to something that's not the Hero of Olympus that we all know and not everyone loves." He ignored the glare from Poseidon.

"And why exactly do I have to babysit him?" Nico demanded, ignoring the warning glare that he was going to be a puddle of sea water in T minus 10 seconds.

"Well, besides the fact I get a fuck in the summer?" Nico flinched at the thought of his dad and sex in the same sentence. "There's no one else."

"There has to be someone else," Nico said desperately. He _really_ didn't want to do this. Not here, not now. Really, not _ever_.

"Really?" said Apollo challengingly, his arms crossed. This was revenge for Victoria Justice. "Name them."

"Anna-"Nico stopped as soon as he remembered the nasty break-up he just heard about.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he finally said.

Apollo smirked. "Well, first of all, he would probably kill her in the middle of recovery, and then, I would have to kill him, then by extension, Uncle P would kill me, or at least torture me and make the rest of my immortal living hell. Two, she has duties. Being the Oracle and shit."

Damn.

Nico thought. "Grover." The satyr _had_ to have time for his best friend

"Wild God Pan duties."

Nico frowned.

"Thalia."

"Fifteen year-old Hunter who works for my sis and a lieutenant at that."

"Tyson."

"He's a freakin' Cyclops! He _just_ reached the mental age of 12."

"Travis Stoll."

"Getting ready to get married to Katie Gardner."

"Conner Stoll?"

"Living the bachelor life, without his brother, finally."

"Jason Grace."

"On his honeymoon with Piper McLean. And, by the way, you and Percy didn't attend the wedding."

"Shit happens."

"I respect that."

"Leo Valdez."

"Also living the bachelor life, while being the head of the biggest innovative company in the technology and mechanics business. At 24. And he started it himself. At 20.

"Damn. He's living life."

"Ain't he?"

"Clarisse La Rue."

"She's preggo, and Chris Rodriguez is on the verge of a mental breakdown."

"I would be, too."

"True shit, true shit."

"Chiron."

"You honestly think we would let one of the most powerful demigods in centuries to go through _recovery_ at _Camp Half-Blood_? With kids that would probably be in a war path?"

"….Fuck." That was all Nico had.

Apollo smirked. He won. "So, I guess you're stuck with him, kiddo."

Nico stared at the gods unbelievingly. "Really? Is this necessary?"

The look on the gods' faces told him it was.

"…What if I decline?" he said slowly.

"Nico," Poseidon looked helpless and on the verge of causing a tsunami at this point. "You're friends with Percy, right? You would help him, wouldn't you?"

Nico crossed his arms and his eyebrows scrunched together. "No, I'm friends with Percy Jackson. The hero of Olympus and shit. The way you've described him, he's not Percy Jackson; he's a maniac on drugs that will probably kill him."

"That's why I need your help, Nico." Poseidon looked ready to beg right now.

Nico just stared at Poseidon, searching him. There were so many emotions on his face. Sorrow, grief, anxiety, stress, love… so many more. He felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. He wondered if his father cared that much about him…

"Well, too bad you won't accept." Hades was talking now, tossing a small, rectangular golden box in the air, breaking the tense air. "You could have this." Without warning, he threw it at Nico. He, of course, caught it single-handedly.

He opened the box, while looking suspiciously at his father out the corner of his eye. He looked down.

"…A pair of glasses?" he questioned at he picked them up. The rectangular lenses weren't framed, but the sides were black, and had ancient Greek on them: βλέπω

"'See'…" he muttered softly to himself.

"They help you translate English into Ancient Greek," Hades explained. "It helps when you read. And when you write, the glasses will give you the illusion of writing and typing in Ancient Greek, but it will come out English. It'll make your work easier."

Okay, that was epic.

"But the glasses won't matter if you're not in college," Hades said maliciously.

"Wait, what?" Out of college? Why would Nico be out of college?

"Well, if you don't take the boy under your wing, I'm just gonna have to stop paying your funds for college." Hades shrugged, grin on his face. "It would be a shame. Such a waste of talent."

Okay, now, this is bullshit.

This was basically an ultimatum. But the pros of letting Percy stay far outweighed the cons. And the cons of not letting Percy staying were overwhelming compared the pros. He didn't want to lose college on his _last year_. That would be a complete waste! That's crazy! And, with those glasses, work wouldn't be such a pain in the ass all the time! He could at the top of his classes! And he probably could get more ass! Not that he was a man-whore or anything…

Then he remembered Poseidon's face. All those emotions on his face for his only living mortal son. It would probably break Poseidon's heart if he said no.

"Okay," Nico sighed as he gave in, looking up at his cheap popcorn ceiling. "I'll do it."

He probably couldn't have said no anyway. If he didn't want skeleton soldiers and hellhounds chasing after him, that is.

Poseidon looked relieved and overjoyed at his answer. "He'll be coming tomorrow, since it's going to be Saturday and the perfect day to move."

Nico wasn't even going to say anything on the fact that he thought that was too fast. It wouldn't matter.

"How is going to get here from New York?" he asked.

"Well skeleton soldiers are moving his stuff in. Through a portal, you know," Hades explained. "He thinks he's going to shadow travel with them, but you're going to have to do that. He looked like he wanted to kill you at the moment, so if was for your safety."

Nico snorted. "Doesn't he know skeleton soldiers can't shadow travel? Dumbass." He wisely shut up at the glare he was given by Poseidon.

"What time?" Nico asked.

"Whenever I feel like it," Hades shrugged. "I'm the one who has to make the portal. So be on alert whenever. But I'm sure you can't miss a giant portal with skeletons coming out of it with microwaves and boxes and shit."

Nico sighed. That was just like his father.

"Now let me warn you," Hades leaned in close, eyes trained on Nico's, "This is no walk in the park. Recovery is going to hurt. Like, emotionally, physically, and mentally. He is going to _hurt_. He is probably going to take frustrations out you. He is going to try to kill or maim you, at one point or another. He will also try to hurt you emotionally and mentally. That is probably the worst kind of pain."

"Oh, this is a field of daises, isn't it? Just wonderful," Nico said sarcastically. He looked at the serious glares from the gods. "Okay, okay, I get it. He is going to try to tear me to pieces, in one way or another. I understand."

But wait…

"Okay," he put his eyes on Apollo, "I understand why Hades and Poseidon are here, But why you? Are they babysitting the sun god?" He smirked at the dark expression of said sun god.

"Well, I was there to null Percy's Achilles' Curse. I just rolled along here with them," Apollo huffed indignantly.

Wait, what?

"What the hell?" Nico exclaimed. "That's crazy! That's insane! How in fourscore and fucks do you that?"

Apollo shrugged. "It _is_ crazy and insane, but it happened. It probably hurt like fuck, but I KO'ed him. He's gonna be dead to the world for at least another 10 hours. Even then, he's gonna feel like he got trampled on by UFC fighters."

"...That sucks."

"Royally."

"Why would you want to do that?" Nico questioned.

Poseidon sighed exasperatedly. "He's going to have to get hurt to get back into reality, so that he sees what he's doing to himself. He is not going to heal properly if pain is not involved. Like Hades said, recovery is painful, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Voiding the Curse is necessary. He will also probably have guards built in both aspects of mentality and emotions. You are going to break those are your own, Nico."

Nico took a gulp of his beer and again looked up at hi ceiling. He wished he could get drunk tonight, so he could forget the bullshit he called his life. He longed to go to a bar and get wasted, just get fucking _hammered_, and maybe have a good hook-up. He didn't get drunk easily, so he didn't have enough beer here. And, of course, he couldn't anyway. He didn't want to nurse a hangover and deal with whatever Perseus Jackson had become on the same day. His criminal record would be updated by the end of the morning.

"So, is that it?" Nico said, suddenly very tired. He just wanted to curl up in his too small bed and disconnect himself from the world for a while. He could finish that stupid thesis tomorrow after Percy got settled in.

Well, he couldn't call him Percy anymore. He's too far gone. He's not the Percy that they all know and (Not Nico at the moment) love. A nickname maybe? Is that too girly? No, it's not really. How do you make a nickname? He guessed he could Google it or something-

"Well, yeah, that's about it." Hades interrupted Nico's ADHD influenced thoughts. He saw that the gods had stood up, so he got up also.

"IM us after your first day tomorrow," Hades said.

Apollo added, "Even me. Gotta see how I did cancelling his Achilles' Curse. Oh, and Nico," Apollo smirked arrogantly, remembering something. "I get a fuck tomorrow. On Miami Beach. Blonde, ass and tits out of this world. Uncle P set me up for payment for helping his son," nodding his head to said uncle.

"Oh, really?" Nico smirked, his arms crossed. "It'll be the best 30 seconds of your immortal life, although I can't say the same for her, I'm afraid." Hades and even Poseidon laughed and snickered heartily.

Nico didn't even blink at the visual knives Apollo was sending his way.

The, Apollo said, "We're gonna spend a whole day together sometime. Just for pickin' up girls. And you will see I am the master at the game called 'Picking Up, Flirting Up, Sexing Up, and Fucking Up'. Well, second master, because Zeus is a P-I-M-P. But I inherited his pimping genes. You will have much to learn, young grasshopper." Apollo bowed and smirked before being engulfed in golden flames and disappearing.

Hades snickered. "Bye, son. I wish you well. You have my blessing in your journey, and all that shit." They both smirked at each other. Nico didn't know if his father cared about him like Poseidon did Percy, but their relationship was pretty awesome. They shook hands, and then Hades also went, in midnight and violet-colored fire.

It was just Poseidon and Nico left.

Poseidon just stared at Nico; his eyes trained on him, obsidian black stone meeting an ocean of sea-green.

Poseidon looked at the boy in front of him, who would probably have to become a man dealing with his son. He could see that the male in front of him had been pure hell, and he suddenly questioned himself: Could he put him through it again? But then he saw something else in his eyes: determination. Sure, Nico di Angelo had gone through hell, but look where he was now. In his peak, attending one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States. And sure, Hades pays for this, but from what Poseidon hears, the boy is intelligent. It's just ADHD and dyslexia and the fact colleges like this wouldn't give someone like his brother's son even a chance at a scholarship. And even with all that, he's not just scraping by! He works hard, and it shows in his work. Poseidon was actually glad Hades had given the boy the glasses. It would make at least something in his life easy. He knew he had gotten the right boy, right then, at that moment. This boy was Poseidon's last hope, anyway, so Percy didn't get completely emerged in a darkness that no one could get him out from.

"Thank you. Please help my son." All Nico saw was a funnel of water, and then it was only him and an aroma of the salty ocean.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He lay there in his too-small bed, in the never-ending darkness thinking the same sentence over again.

_Jackson is moving in with me._

_Jackson is moving in with me._

_Jackson is moving in with me._

He had subconsciously already decided what to call Percy. It really didn't require thought, actually. He had already programmed his mind to call him "Jackson".

_Because,_ he thought as he drifted into the ocean of slumber, _he's apparently not Percy anymore._

**Short chapter. Well, shorter than my last one, but longer than my first two.**

**Don't you just love Apollo? I do.**

**I'm thinking about doing a one-shot with Apollo and Nico and the day together thing. I can't put it in here, because I consider it unnecessary for this story. What do you think?**

**I have nothing against Miley Cyrus, by the way. I don't know what I said was true. But I don't like her.**

**The Duke vs. UNC fight was very necessary. I just couldn't **_**not**_** put it in.**

**I AM A UNC FAN. Nico goes to Duke because I lost a bet. This chapter was hell for me.**

**Duke is puke,**

**Wake is fake, **

**NC State is who we hate! **

**GO TARHEELS!**

**UNC: THE GOOD**

**NC STATE: THE BAD**

**DUKE: THE UGLY**

**I really don't know that much on the stripper claiming she got raped by the Duke Lacrosse players. I think I heard she was guilty of lying. I'm sorry if I offended anyone.**

**See ya next time! :D**

_**I verbis pingunt, **_**Alexander Caesar**


	5. The Darkness We Swim In

**A/N: HEY! :D**

**Do you know what's today?**

**It's….**

**PERCY'S BIRTHDAY! :D**

**August 18 is Perseus Jackson's birthday. :D**

**Sing it!**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PERCY,**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!**

**You know how I celebrated?**

**A BUNCH OF NEW ONE-SHOTS! AND A NEW STORY! AND UPDATING THIS!**

**Yeah, I went all out for a fictional character's birthday. I'm a nerd, and I'm proud. :D**

**I'm excited. :D **

**Check on my page for all of my one-shots. And while you're there, go ahead and check out my first one-shot, **_**Experiment. **_**If you do, check out the A/N last chapter from this story and pick a prize! :D**

**If you check out my new one-shots, leave a comment saying "Addiction sent me here" and the summary of the story(maximum two sentences), and I'll give you your own short one-shot, by your own imagination or just make one about your favorite couple, your choice. :D**

**I also launched a new story called "PJO & Friends: Why You Be Hatin'?" It's a story where I do profiles on characters that people don't particularly like from Percy Jackson &The Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, and possibly other books. I do funny scenarios, people's opinions on why they hate the character, my opinions on characters, etc. The first one was Rachel Elizabeth Dare. If you read it, leave a review saying "Addiction sent me here" and repeat what I said concerning Logan Lerman in Rachel's profile and I'll give you a scenario of any character of your choice, and possibly a sneak peek at this story. :D**

_**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS SUPPOSED TO BE SHORT. I WROTE LIKE THREE ONE-SHOTS, A NEW STORY, AND I HAVE THREE MORE ONE-SHOTS I'VE STARTED TO WRITE. I'M ALSO RESEARCHING CHARACTERS FOR PJO & FRIENDS. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS INCONVIENCED YOU. I CAN MAKE IT UP TO YOU BY MAKING ANOTHER ONE-SHOT. A LEMON PWP, IF YOU WANT TO. OR ANY ONE-SHOT OF YOUR CREATION. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT. :D**_

**Disclaimer: Does Geico save you 15% or more on car insurance? Does the female that goes by the penname of Alexander Caesar own nothing concerning this story? Did you just read this in that guy's voice?**

Addiction

Chapter 5: The Darkness We Swim In

"Sir."

The sound of the man's deep breathing filled the room.

"Sir…"

He was answered back by a loud snort, and then the loud inhaling continued.

"Sir di Angelo?"

There was no break in the breathing. He just rolled over on his back

The Redcoat skeleton finally broke down and poked Nico.

All he saw next was a blur of Stygian iron, and then was deduced to a pile of bones.

The World War II veteran that was beside the now discontinued Revolutionary warrior stepped back, teeth chattering, as Nico got out of bed, the wild look in his eyes gone.

"Dammit," he scowled, looking down at the pale white human structure on the ground. "Don't you know I can't understand you? You click your teeth together, for fuck's sake!"

If a skeleton could ever look terrified, the only one standing in his room was.

Nico stretched, his shirtless body feeling good against the cool air in the apartment. The light that filtered in from his bedroom window highlighted his olive-skinned torso. His midnight-colored pajamas with a skull pattern on them hung at his waist. How he got his sword that quickly, no one knows.

"Pick up your friend, will you," he directed towards the veteran. The veteran scrambled to get the bones up, his jaws chattering a mile a minute.

"Will you kindly shut the fuck up?" Nico said through gritted teeth. The skeleton wisely did what he said.

"Idiots," he muttered, walking out of his room, the soldier with the pile of bones following behind.

He stepped out, yawning and squinting, then opening his eyes. Although he knew what he was going to be met with, he still gasped.

A large black gape was in his tiny dark living room, skeleton soldiers of all time periods coming in and out, holding cardboard boxes and other miscellaneous items.

The first question that came to Nico's mind was. _How was it so dark? It was_-he glanced at his clock_- freakin' 10 in the morning! The light from the window in my room showed! I guess it was a Hades thing…_

He ruffled his already fucked-up hair, making it not as flat, but more messy. He went to his kitchen-the only place skeletons weren't invading at the moment-, poured some orange juice, and gulped it down. He let out a refreshed sigh and closed his eyes. He would've had a beer if it wasn't so early.

As he leaned against the counter, he opened his eyes and looked towards the portal. He realized the soldiers were looking at him. He stared back blankly for a while, and then slowly started to get irritated. He finally snapped, "What the fuck do you want!"

The skeletons held up the boxes and other objects in their hands. He at first stared uncomprehendingly, and slowly it came across him. "Oh," he muttered softly.

He pointed to the extra room he had, which would soon be occupied by the insufferable son of Poseidon. The skeletons filed in and out, setting down boxes, pulling stuff out of them, setting things up, picking up empty boxes and then leaving into the portal, not to come back again. It went like this for another 20 minutes, until it was only Nico and the World War II veteran. The forever grinning man gave Nico a picture of Percy's house, more specifically his bedroom, and then left, the portal shrinking and finally closing behind him, ceasing to exist.

Nico glanced at where the portal used to be and sighed exasperatedly. He concentrated on the picture for a while, memorizing it, and as he walked into his dark bathroom, he wondered how many holes Jackson had put in his own house. As the shadows invited him in, eating him up, he thought, _He better not put one in my apartment, unless he wants his ass beat._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

To say Percy was having a bad day would be an understatement.

No, to Say Percy was having a bad _morning _would be an understatement.

Let's count out the reasons, shall we?

1: He woke up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy. If P. Diddy had had the biggest hangover imaginable, fallen of Mt. Everest and been ran over by a drunken Ke$ha driving an 18-wheeler.

Yeah, it was that bad.

The pain was unbearable. It felt like every cell and molecule that made up Perseus Jackson was dissolving in acid, then dumped in a nitrogen concoction and froze and broke into a million pieces. He felt pain where nerve endings weren't even in. Did you know your hair and nails are made up of dead skin cells? Explain that to Percy and that it would be impossible for hair and nails to feel pain in them, not just the roots or the skin under it.

The pain was so bad he passed back out mere seconds after he became conscious. That's where reason number two comes along.

2: He was woken up a second time by skeleton soldiers from the Underworld.

Not a very pleasant way to wake up when you felt you had been tortured in the Fields of Punishment themselves.

Naturally, he destroyed about 25 of them out of irritation, pain and reflexes, and that was before he was even fully awake.

When he _was_ finally fully conscious, he figured out what they were there for. It's really hard to miss a huge hellish portal in your shower.

He directed them towards his selection of stuff he was going to take the spawn of Hades' apartment, most in cardboard boxes, some just out there. He told them how he want the room set up, obliterated some more skeletons for both practice and out of irritation, and sat down on his bed, watch them work.

He had soldiers out the ass. Like more than would fit upstairs. So after a while, he took a couple of them downstairs to the backyard and used them for more target practice. It helped cover up the shit caused by reason number three.

3: He had not had methamphetamine in his system for over 12 hours now.

When he had explored the house out of boredom, he found that the meth he had bought was gone. He realized, beyond pissed, that the gods had taken his supply. He automatically tried to hit something out of frustration, but he was so soft and vulnerable now that he immediately regretted it. The pain from hitting the wall almost knocked him out again, so he had slid against the wall and tried to calm himself.

The Beast was now in panic mode. It realized that people were trying to get its host to go through recovery. It realized they were moving in with someone to get him off. The Beast always had the chance that it could convince Percy into a relapse, but that was no matter. It knew that Percy was strong-willed and determined, and the people around him were strong-willed and determined, and Percy got out of its grasp, it would bye-bye Beast.

Well, it could never be bye-bye Beast, but Percy could get separated from it, and The Beast would die off.

The Beast would need to somehow find a way to exist. The Beast could adapt to different types of darkness. He could wear any darkness like a coat. The problem would be finding another addiction to latch on to.

When Percy had destroyed all of the grinning soldiers, he decided to head up to his bedroom, to see what was happening, and to see if he could take a cocktail of Excedrin, Tylenol, Advil, and other painkillers and still live. Maybe he could get a high off of those…

When he finally entered his bedroom, though, there was not one skeleton left.

All of the boxes and things that he had picked out to take were gone. The skeleton soldiers were obviously done, but Percy was still confused. Wasn't he supposed to be shadow travelling with one of them?

Then, in the corner of his room the shadows started moving, coming alive. They transformed into a figure, and it stepped out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The first thing Nico thought when he saw Percy:

Damn.

From what he had heard, Percy's changes had been more emotional and mental than physical. Nico wondered how fucked up he was inside, because he didn't think something could be much worse than the outside.

The son of Poseidon had been Photoshopped by meth.

He was paler than usual, the sun-kissed skin of a swimmer gone. It was blotchy also, red spots covering his body like patches. His lips were thin, not as full as they usually are. His eyes, although cold and rather stoic, were wild, and Nico could tell he was going through short-term withdrawal. He did not have a shirt on, and you could see his ribs. There were few traces left of the six pack that was once ever so present on the lithe swimmer's body

Nico, being the dumbass that he was, had to speak his mind. "You look fucked up."

Percy scowled at the younger male. He replied back, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Nico raised his eyebrow, face stoic and calculating, revealing nothing. "I'm here to take you to your new house, roomie." He smiled devilishly as the son of Poseidon's scowl deepened.

"I thought a skeleton soldier was supposed to be taking me," Percy said, eyeing Nico suspiciously.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Skeleton soldiers can't shadow travel, dumbass. Their bones would turn to ashes."

Percy sneered at Nico, showing teeth that were amazingly still white and pearly. "I'm not a dumbass, thank you very much."

"You must be one to take meth," Nico snorted.

Any chance of getting off on a good start was murdered.

"I thought we were supposed to get dressed up for this _special_ occasion," Percy said sarcastically, looking over Nico's shirtless body in pajama pants.

"How ironic, see as you're wearing the same amount of clothes as me, and you look like Poseidon took a shit and called it his son," Nico said dryly, snorting with his eyebrow rose.

Percy would've punched him if he wasn't scared he'd get knocked out again.

Nico looked around the room amusedly. "Nice place you got here," he commented. "The holes in the wall really compliment the broken glass in the bathroom and the blood and vomit stains in the carpet."

It is amazing Percy's heart didn't stop from the pure venom pumping through his blood.

"Fuck you," he scowled.

Nico raised his eyebrows, grinning. "Hey, don't threaten me with a good time."

"I don't think I could touch you even if I was gay and had a limited supply of Jack Daniels. Speaking of gay, how's your sex life going?" Percy grinned darkly.

Nico's eyes darkened, and then brightened up again. With a Grinch's smile on his face he replied, "Unfortunately for you, I'm straight. I've had more girls than Zeus."

Thunder rumbled and darkened, which was odd considering there wasn't a cloud in sight in the sky.

"Okay, maybe not as much as Zeus. I don't think anyone can really rival his pimpin' skills."

The sky brightened up again.

"Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm at a higher rank than you in The Game."

Percy raised his eyebrow. "The Game."

"The Game. Where you see who has game. The people who are respected in The Games have more girls than they have hairs on their head. Only one person has mastered it, and that is Zeus. People have come close, though. Like me." Nico grinned triumphantly.

"Cool story, bro," Percy said, rolling his eyes.

"Do you understand the game?" Nico said in mock seriousness. Well, in what we think is mock seriousness.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get on with this, shall we?" Percy grumbled.

Living with this man was going to be hell.

Nico went to the shadows and held out his arm. "As ready as you are, milady," he grinned.

Nico didn't think Percy had scowled so much in his life in one day.

He walked over to Nico, hooked his arm around his rather roughly, and Nico thought he heard something like, "Fuck you, gods."

All he heard was an ear-splitting clap of thunder before the shadows encased them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The first thing Percy thought when he saw Nico:

Damn.

The boy had obviously changed into a man. They were the same height; Percy observed that by the equal glares they had giving each other. He did not radiate death anymore, so much as he did darkness. Percy had been around some dark, wicked people, birds of a feather and all that, but Nico was not wicked as he, just plain dark. Nico did not just radiate the dark; he manipulated it. His black aura was, for lack of a better word, intoxicating. It was rather infuriating to Percy; he automatically disliked his new roommate. Darkness was unknown; unexplored. Darkness was dangerous, so Nico was automatically a threat. Percy, of course, though partially blind to the whole truth, knew he himself was also immersed in darkness. So they were equals, until further exploring of each other. Until further notice. Although they were two different types of darkness, one not wicked and sinning like the other, they were nonetheless both powerful, and rivaling. Both darknesses had to find out about the other, how it came to be, what was in the other's murky depths, why they equals. They were going to have to find out secrets on one another. They were going to see what they were up against, and destroy them as thoroughly as possible.

Long story short, a war was going to ensue.

Which side shall you take?

Don't decide to pick on such petty things as morals, or regarding realms such as the heart, or the brain.

War is fueled on the need to survive.

Survival doesn't know morals, or the heart, or sanity.

Survival knows living, and existing.

Survival _is_ living, and existing.

Pick which one you feel can give you the best opportunities.

And make sure those opportunities aren't just sweet lies your mind whispered to you.

Why?

Just know, it's very possible to drown in the darkness you swim in.

** Tell me in a review which darkness you choose. I really like to hear your choices and opinions.**

** I can't tell you mine, as I'm the author. :D**

**Again, I apologize for it being short. I almost hate myself for it. **

**Almost.**

**Think of it as a filler chapter.**

**It seems rushed to me. I will probably re-write it later.**

**I promise you a one-shot, though. I promise. :D I'll decide the best idea if there are multiple ones.**

**Check out other stories. **

**REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED. :D**

_**I verbis pingunt, **_**Alexander Caesar**


	6. lol bye

Lol. I can't believe I did this, looking back on it.

I started this at 13. I'm almost 16.

This was before I really found what I love.

Looking back…I've matured as a writer so much.

This is my last post ever, by the way.

I just thought I should end the right way.

The experiences were cool. But I grew up.

Some of the stuff I said was so embarrassing, like I can't believe it was me.

But that's part of growing up.

Have fun.

Lol, bye.


	7. Adoption Notice

Some people want these stories so they're now up for adoption.

Go for it, I don't really give a fuck.

Also, some of your comments on "Why You Be Hatin" are painful to read, just because you obviously did not fully read what I wrote, you did not see what date I wrote them, and/or you're kinda stupid.

First people who message me and can actually write well (you must have written something on this website already), gets whatever story they want. First come, first serve.

Have fun.

Stories up for adoption:

Why You Be Hatin'?

Addiction

Angry God

P.S. _Angel of Redemption, Anguish, _and_ Experiment_ were some of my favorite things I've ever written, so I beg of you not to take those from me. Thank you.


End file.
